Chapter 14 - The Last Performance
Emily froze in the back seat.
Rebecca smiled through the open window.
“Sweetheart, I found something of yours.”
Luke stopped well short of her.
“Stay in the car,” I said.
He called the detective’s number while I locked the doors.
Rebecca walked closer.
“Daniel, don’t be ridiculous.
I just want to give it back.”
I lowered my window two inches.
“Put it on the sidewalk.”
“Can you please act like an adult?”
“Put it down.”
Patricia got out of the sedan.
“We’re trying to settle this.”
“Through our attorneys.”
Rebecca bent slightly, searching for Emily behind me.
“Honey, you know I would never hurt you.”
Emily’s breathing quickened.
I turned toward her.
“Look at me.
Not at her.”
Rebecca’s voice sharpened.
“Don’t teach her to be afraid of me.”
Luke spoke into his phone.
“They’re outside my home now.”
Patricia reached for Rebecca’s elbow.
“We should go.”
But Rebecca had seen the sweater wrapped around Emily’s shoulders.
Her face changed.
“Oh, for God’s sake.
That thing again?”
Emily made a small sound.
I raised the window.
Rebecca slapped her palm against the glass.
“Daniel.”
Luke’s dashboard camera recorded her.
His phone recorded the call.
The neighbors’ porch camera faced the curb.
Still, she kept going.
“You’re letting her do this to us.”
There was no us left.
There had not been an us since my daughter asked whether I had agreed to abandon her.
A patrol car turned onto the street.
Patricia stepped back immediately.
Rebecca smoothed her blouse.
When the officer approached, she began crying.
“I only came to return a toy.”
Luke pointed toward his camera.
“You can watch the rest.”
The officer separated them from the car.
We drove around the block and waited where Emily could no longer see.
Her hands were pressed over her ears.
“Is she mad at me?”
“No.”
“Because of the note?”
“No, sweetheart.”
“Then why does she keep saying I did it?”
I reached back until she took my hand.
“Because telling the truth means she can’t keep doing it.”
The next morning, outside the courtroom, Rebecca sat beside her attorney.
She wore soft gray and no jewelry.
May you like
When she saw me, she whispered:
“You should have let the car leave.”
